Every Sigh Holds Thoughts of You
by SuicideMonday
Summary: He knew they were both at fault but that didn't stop him from wishing that Ivan would make the first move. RussiaxChina AmericaxEngland
1. Misunderstandings

**As this is my first fanfic I hope to hear from everyone what they think about it. (What you feel can be improved, what you liked, what was awkward, etc.) Any advice at all is good advice! **

**Dedicated to: All the awesome peeps on the MSN RoChu group. (Probably would have never written ff without them)**

**A big thank you to Doitsu who beta'd this chapter for me! (Read her fics! *coughcough*)**

**Disclaimer- I don't own Axis Powers Hetalia ;_; (Or the country of Russia.....or China....or America.... *angst*)**

**On with the story~**

Chapter One

Yao sighed, ruffling his long black hair in frustration as he looked down at the illegible scribbles in front of him. China was sitting at his large wooden desk and had been sitting there for the past 6 hours. In those hours he had glanced at the phone 37 times and killed a number of trees trying to convey his feelings on paper. Yao turned to look at the clock with tired eyes. The elegant hands were pointed at the twelve and two symbols. 2 AM. He should really get to sleep. As a country he has a full schedule of work in store for him. Yao couldn't suppress a groan as he thought of the mindless paperwork and documents he needed to review. His body screamed for sleep but he couldn't comply. Physically, his body was tired. But his mind, his mind was running circles in his head. Yao wanted the phone to ring, wanted to hear the childish voice of his northern neighbor.

Russia

The mere thought of the taller nation caused Yao to blush and bury his head into his arms. He had not moved from his desk for several hours and felt his joints groan in protest at the sudden movement. Turning his head in his arms, Yao allowed himself to stare at the phone once again. He and Ivan had not spoken for five days. Five days since their…misunderstanding. The image of the hurt look in Ivan's amethyst eyes and his long beige scarf swaying in the air as he walked away from him played in Yao's mind like a bad movie over and over again.

It was a misunderstanding. A simple misunderstanding that caused the riff of silence between them.

"_Yao~ What is this I hear about you having a date with America tonight?" _

_Outwardly, Ivan was smiling. His eyes closed and his mouth turned upwards in his usual smile that his body used to disarm the defenses of others. But when one looked closely at Ivan his lips were twitching slightly and his hands were twisting around the pipe he carried around with him. Yao could tell from Ivan's tone of voice that he was pissed._

_Ivan was out for blood, American blood._

_Yao puffed his cheeks in annoyance, crossing his arms across his chest, the sleeves of his tangzhuang scrunching together. Turning his head to glare at the wall he replied._

"_It's not a date aru! Merely a business meeting!" Yao's face turned a slight pink as he avoided Ivan's eyes._

_Ivan dropped his smile as he saw Yao's face darken in color with each word of defense he spoke. Walking up to the shorter Chinese man, Ivan grabbed Yao's arm, effectively unwrapping them, and shoved him against the wall. Yao gasped and the look on his face turned from that of annoyance to one of surprise. Using his pipe to keep Yao's arms above his head, Ivan leaned closer to Yao and said._

"_It can't be that Jao is tired of me already, da?" _

_Bringing his head even closer, Ivan took this moment to burry his nose in Yao's hair, inhaling the strong scent of peonies and summer. Yao struggled slightly in discomfort, attempting to move his arms and possibly loosen the Russian man's hold on him. But Ivan did not budge, one hand holding the pipe in place and the other with a firm grip on Yao's hip. Ivan used his tongue to trace the shell of Yao's ear, chuckling at the discomfort he caused the other. Ivan wanted to remind Yao of the nights they shared together; warmth that was taken and given as their voices became one as they found themselves in each other's arms. Deep down Ivan feared being forgotten, of being replaced by that goddamn American and his cocky overconfident attitude. Ivan was determined to erase any thoughts Yao might have for Alfred. Yao held back a moan as Ivan made his way down his neck. Yao's mind began to grow foggy, his brain barely processing his surroundings anymore. Ivan, noticing that Yao was no longer struggling, released Yao's arms from the prison created by his pipe. Yao's arms fell onto Ivan's shoulders, slowly making their way through the blonde's hair. _

_Satisfied with the mark he left on Yao's neck, Ivan moved to claim Yao's lips, savoring the warmth the other man invoked within him. The sight of Yao losing control of his body lightened Ivan's mood considerably. Yao was about to submit to the spell Ivan had created, to relinquish his control----when he heard footsteps coming closer. _

_Quickly shoving the larger man off of him Yao fiddled with the collar of his tangzhuang in hopes of hiding Ivan's claim on him. Ivan was still recovering from the turn of events when they both looked to the right to see Alfred and Arthur approaching. Alfred, always the enthusiastic one, quickly jumped to greet them. _

"_Yao! Ivan! Still here after the meeting?"_

_Alfred's face turned from the noticeably uncomfortable Chinese man to the innocently smiling Russian. Arthur strategically placed himself outside the awkward atmosphere and sighed at the lack of tact the American possessed. _

_Tuning out Alfred's rant about how many hamburgers he ate today and what an awesome hero he was, Ivan returned his face to Yao, seeing how he was handling the situation. Yao was nodding at every other sentence, attempting to pretend that he was listening while from the corner was eyes he noticed Ivan staring at him. Clearing his throat, Yao tried to interrupt Alfred._

"_Uh, America….about tonight…aru…"_

_Alfred, stopping mid sentence about his heroic actions of the day, allowed his mind to click in realization._

"_Tonight…oh yeah! I bet you're excited to be spending it with someone as heroic as me, right?"_

_Yao refrained from grabbing Ivan's pipe and banging it against his head multiple times at the American's stupidity. (Or crashing in into Alfred's thick skull but he didn't want to cause anymore brain damage.)_

_Quickly grabbing Yao and ignoring his sounds of protest, Alfred began to drag him in the direction of the Englishman._

"_We better get going! A Hero can't be late!"_

_Yao turned to face Ivan in a final attempt to explain himself. Ivan was staring at the ground, his blond hair creating a dark shadow over his face. But Yao could see the look in his eyes._

_Betrayal._

_Turning and walking in the opposite direction, Ivan could hear Alfred's loud voice questioning Yao._

"_Eh? Yao, what's that on your neck?"_

"_It's nothing," Yao mumbled, "a mosquito bite, aru."_

Author's Note: Some of you might think this is America/China/Russia. It wasn't my intention. XD

R&R Please?

Suicide Monday


	2. Space

**Many thanks to xNightBright, Lochesh, Incoherent, lady-ribbon, Idiotichobo, kwaiiChan-chan, Doitsu, and D.G. Ling for reviewing! . It really means alot to me.**

**As always, a big thank-you to Doitsu for beta-ing. **

**AN: This is a a rewritten version on Chapter 2. I couldn't bring myself to write chap 3 til I was satisfied with chap 2. I wasn't happy with it so I added some details here and there. So I hope you'll take the time to re-read it and tell me what you think? Expect chapter 3 before Nov. 10th! Sorry for the wait everyone! **

**I've also updated my profile with future fics. Do you guys prefer me updating this story, or writing a one-shot? XD**

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Every Sigh Holds Thoughts of You - Chapter 2

_Alfred had enough courtesy to take Yao to a pleasant Chinese restaurant._

_How Alfred ever managed to order a hamburger at said restaurant was a mystery._

_Sitting at a secluded table towards the back of the restaurant, Yao sipped his tea while Alfred stuffed the documents they had just discussed haphazardly back into his briefcase. Satisfied with his handiwork, Alfred snapped the briefcase close and returned it to the floor. Turning back to Yao, Alfred wracked his brain for the best possible way to approach the next topic. Clearing his throat to get Yao's attention, Alfred smiled confidently and began._

"_Since that's all settled, I need to ask a favor from you China."_

_Yao raised an eyebrow. Searching the American's face, Yao was unsuccessful at finding any clues as to what he could possibly want from him. Alfred's face had slid into complete seriousness, all traits of mischief gone. Whatever the American was about to request must be of grave importance. Bringing his teacup back to his lips, Yao used his silence as a sign for Alfred to continue. Alfred sucked in a deep breath of air and began. It was now or never._

"_I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend."_

_Chocking on his tea, Yao fell out of his chair. Spluttering and looking at the American in disbelief he tested his voice._

"_Ex….excuse me aru….?"_

_A few customers in the restaurant turned to see what the commotion was. Quickly trying to regain his dignity Yao stood up, brushing the dirt of his clothes and returning to his chair. As Yao continued to stare at him incredulously, Alfred continued, seeing no flaws in his logic._

"_It's just that some of the other nations already think we have some sort of 'special relationship'. And Arthur is being such a prick! I want to make his jealous."_

_At this point Alfred began waving his arms in the air, as if the gestures would further his point. Yao shook his head, muttering something under his breath about stupid Westerners and idiotic jealousy plans._

"_Aiyah~ Can't you just----I don't know, talk to him aru?"_

_Yao wanted to avoid being thrown in the middle of Alfred and Arthur's fights. The two fought more than the economy changed. Yao's eyes pleaded with Alfred to reconsider. He could predict the future disaster if he was roped into this mess. If the American could not be swayed Yao would simply have to find an escape route. Sweeping his eyes across the restaurant, Yao spotted three possible exits._

_Alfred puffed his cheeks in annoyance. The shorter man obviously did not understand that this was the best plan of action to get Arthur to come crawling back to him! Heroes didn't wait! They took action! Alfred had spent a whole 15 minutes thinking of this plan, if was foolproof! All he needed was to find a way to get Yao to accept. Quickly going through the Asian man's weaknesses in his head, Alfred began his threat._

"_If you don't agree, I'm placing a McDonalds in all the Chinatowns in America."_

_Yao sighed. So much for escaping._

* * *

Toris cringed as the glass shattered to the floor. When Ivan had returned home a dark aura of murderous intent surrounded him. The slight sway in the Russian's gait showed his drunkenness. The door slammed behind him which caused the Baltic nations to flinch. Latvia and Estonia had enough sense to hide from the large Russian man so it was up to Toris to try and stop Ivan from destroying the house. Gulping down the lump in his throat, Toris made his way through the broken glass.

Ivan was going through the process of breaking everything that wasn't nailed to the ground or the floor. Vases and pictures lay broken on the carpet as his hands reached to grab the figurine on the counter.

**Crash!**

The figurine's arms hit the ground first, then the head, leaving a broken body searching for its limbs. Toris could only look on in horror as he wondered what happened to Ivan to put him in such a mood. Usually he tortured the Baltic Trio with a smile on his face, merely tormenting them because he had the power to and found it enjoyable. But looking at Ivan's eyes, all Toris could see was anger, not the childish glee that his amethyst eyes usually held. Slowly making his way towards Ivan, Toris tried to find his voice.

"I'm…I'm very sorry to be interrupting you Russia…but I…I…prepared dinner…"

Toris' voice wavered with every word. He half hoped that Ivan had not heard him, that he could excuse himself and run off to wherever Latvia and Estonia were hiding. But Ivan's hand froze midway as he heard Toris' voice. Smiling at the distraction Toris could bring, he turned to face the brunette. The smaller nation shivered as Ivan began to speak.

"Ah Lithuania, where are Latvia and Estonia?"

Toris froze, not expecting to be asked the whereabouts of his fellow nations. Mind in a panic, he said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"They are…well, they're probably… cleaning up the kitchen! Yes! They're in the kitchen. How was the UN meeting?"

Toris avoided the urge to laugh nervously. He closed his eyes and attempted to smile at the face of danger. Too distracted with worry, Toris failed to see Ivan flinch and make his way closer to him. Opening his eyes slowly, trying to maintain his shaky smile, Toris was shocked to see Ivan standing so close. Paling at the sudden proximity, Toris was frozen with fear at the dark look on Ivan's face. His mind screamed for him to run but his legs were frozen underneath him.

Shoving past Toris, Ivan only muttered three words.

"Clean it up."

Ivan continued to make his way down the hallway while Toris could only nod hesitantly, still in shock. Slowly reaching towards the broken shards that lay scattered on the carpet, Toris could only bring himself to clean in silence.

* * *

Making his way to his room, Ivan's mind was still in a red haze as he quickly opened and closed the door to his room. The walls around it shook with the force he used on the door. Sinking to the ground, Ivan buried his head into his hand, his eyebrows knitting together in frustration. Ivan could feel his heart cracking. The more his mind lingered on the event, the more tears he felt bud up in his eyes. His eyes widened as he felt the warm salt water running down his face and Ivan knew he could do nothing to stop the tears. The pain of betrayal left his heart crying in his chest. The numb pain left his body cold, desperately searching for warmth. Already on bad terms with Alfred, the American was just adding salt to the wound by stealing China. If there was one thing he hated most in the world, it was sharing. Ivan could only console himself with thoughts of getting rid of the American.

But what Ivan could not understand was how Yao could even be swayed by Alfred. What Alfred could have done to make the Chinese man replace him in his heart? Were the nights they spent together meaningless? Had they not found comfort in each other's arms when the World left them behind?

Reaching for his vodka, Ivan tilted his head back and chugged down as much vodka as he could. Feeling his mind grow fuzzy he sighed in relief.

It had become a bad habit. For as long as he could remember, Ivan had found comfort holding a bottle of vodka and drinking himself stupid. Living alone for such a long time or in the presence of nations that feared him, drinking had become second nature. Ivan had learned long ago that there would be no one to comfort him when he fell. Yet being together with Yao, Ivan started to feel hope grow within him. He sought the smaller nation when he needed comfort and slowly learned the meaning of happiness.

And now it was gone. How could he ever return to the Ivan he was before? He couldn't even remember how it felt to be alone anymore. In one day he lost the only thing he ever cared about.

Ivan wanted to drown away his sorrows, if only for tonight. He couldn't deal with the pain. Closing his eyes, he could only sigh and feel regret at the memory of how they parted. There were so many things he could have done differently.

Ivan wanted to grab Yao, wanted to beg him to stay, force him, anything.

But he didn't. He let him walk away.


	3. Days

**AN: This chapter is dedicated to Doitsu! Cause she really deserves more from life than what it's currently giving her.**

**A big thank you to: Doitsu, xblkdragonx, lady-ribbon, Idiotichobo, D.G. Ling, Lochesh, Kami011, Hasegawa, Tallisa of Swallow's Crest, 454g, kwaiiChan-chan, and My Precious Laith, for reviewing chapter 2! It's so great to see that people are enjoying the story!**

**A super special big thank you to: Lochesh, lady-ribbon, Idiotichobo, kwaiiChan-chan, Doitsu, and D.G. Ling,for reviewing both chapters! . I offer choco as thanks?**

**To Kami011: I tried to give cookies to Ivan but he rejected them cause they weren't made by Yao… ;_;**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia**

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Every Sigh Holds Thoughts of You – Chapter 3

Idiots.

He was surrounded by idiots.

After being backed into a corner by Alfred, Yao had spent more time than he would like to admit being paranoid. If Alfred had said anything to Arthur, he was bound to retaliate. Knowing the Brit, he was probably going to be attacked by unicorns and fairies.

As if he needed more trouble.

Well, he wasn't going down without a fight.

Yao paused in his train of thought.

'….'

Wait, how was he going to fight invisible mythical creatures?

The rest of his luck had not improved. Other than the paranoia, Yao has spent the last week questioning where his relationship with Ivan stood, not sleeping at all. The one time he tried to sleep resulted in hours of tossing and turning. He quickly realized that he would not be able to sleep a wink until his mind was at peace. Each day, it took him longer to finish his paperwork and it was getting harder and harder to concentrate as the days progressed.

Working on the latest stack of paperwork, Yao could feel his consciousness slipping. His desk looked so inviting….and comfortable… All he wanted to do was….lie down… With each thought his head got closer and closer to his desk.

Just as Yao was about to submit to the pull of fatigue, he heard his door slam open. Jumping in his seat, he turned around.

"Aniki! Da-ze~!!!"

Yong Soo ran up to Yao, his long sleeves flapping in the wind as he held them up in the air to maximize his glomping ability.

"Aniiiiiiikiiiiiiiiiii~~~"

Was it just him, or was time moving slower? Yong Soo seemed to be running awfully slow…perhaps he was attempting to make the moment more dramatic? Grabbing Yao from behind, Yong Soo hugged him with all his might, lifting Yao from the ground slightly and shaking him left and right. Yao's chair fell to the floor after being shoved out of the way by Yong Soo. Yao could only stare blankly ahead, his face the epitome of fatigue, as he let the larger Korean spin him around like a rag doll.

"Aniki's breasts are mine! Da-ze!" Yong Soo slid his hands down Yao's chest to grope his breast.

Okay. That was were he drew the line.

Shoving Yong Soo off of him, Yao took a minute to regain his balance from being spun so much. Shaking his head lightly, Yao began to speak.

"Yong Soo. What do you want?"

Yao wasn't in the mood to deal with the tall Korean. Of course, Yong Soo was family and Yao loved his family. It was just that even on the best of days Yao could barely put up with him. The boy was like the energizer bunny; he just kept going and going. Staring at Yong Soo, Yao's eyes said 'You better have a good reason for bothering me'.

Yong Soo intertwined his hands behind his head, creating a makeshift arm pillow to rest his head on. Averting his eyes from Yao's, he began to laugh nervously.

"I was…bored?"

Yao's gaze intensified into a glare.

"Heh, heh….and well, you were the first person to pop into my head!"

Quickly trying to find a way to save himself, he continued. Ruffling through his clothes, he pulled out of number of DVDs. Flashing the various titles in Yao's face, Yong Soo grinned with pride.

"I brought Korean dramas da-ze~! Dramas originated in Korea~~~!"

Yao could feel his eye twitch in annoyance. Trying to put his words into terms the other Asian nation would understand, he began to speak slowly.

"Yong Soo. I'm very busy right now. I don't have time to play with you."

Quick, blunt, and to the point. Yao's voice was full of patience, something he didn't have right now. Yong Soo finally took the time to study Yao's face. Noticing the Chinese nation's visible fatigue, Yong Soo's happy demeanor slipped.

"Eh~? Yao, you have dark circles under your eyes, da-ze."

Shocked that his weariness was so evident, Yao quickly rubbed his eyes. He hated appearing weak in front of others.

"Aiyah~ it's nothing, nothing aru…" Yao's lie was easily seen through. As he spoke he wouldn't make eye contact with Yong Soo and rubbed his arms nervously. Yong Soo's eyes morphed to that of understanding. Sighing to himself, Yong Soo scratched his head awkwardly before he spoke. He didn't want to see Yao in this state any longer.

"If something happened between you and Russia you should just talk to him, da-ze."

Yao snapped his head to stare at Yong Soo in shock. When had he gotten so perceptive? Yong Soo grinned.

"I may act like a fool, and I might be waaaaaaaaaaaaay younger than you, but I'm a country too."

One of Yong Soo's overwhelming smiles took over his face.

"And if that doesn't work out, you can always come running to me! My arms are always open to Aniki's breasts, da-ze~!"

Yong Soo continued to smile, his arms opening as if expecting Yao to leap into them. Yao was inwardly touched, and a bit creeped out. Slowly pushing the Korean out of his room he said.

"Mind your own business, aru! And get out."

The last part seemed to be added as an afterthought, as if Yao had made up his mind as he said the sentence. Shoving Yong Soo out of his room and locking the door behind him, Yao felt even more exhausted than before Yong Soo appeared.

From the other side of the door Yong Soo whispered to himself.

"I think you of all people deserve happiness Aniki"

Replacing his serious face with a smile, he laughed. When did he suddenly become so selfless? His smile widened as he realized the irony of the situation. Once again intertwining his hands behind his head, Yong Soo walked away.

* * *

Falling onto his bed, Yao stared at the ceiling. Just….talk to Ivan, huh? Rubbing his temples to try and ease the growing headache, Yao lost himself in his thoughts. The dinner with Alfred had only been a momentary distraction from the depth of his mistake.

Everyday he found himself thinking of Ivan more and more. The loneliness he felt this past week was comparable to the loss of his siblings. He was once again left thinking that it was his entire fault. Yao could feel his pile of regrets growing. He had his duty as a country but sometimes he wanted to be….selfish. Yao laughed bitterly at himself. He thought he had gotten over these types of feelings 3000 years ago.

What happened to the cold-hearted Yao that never showed his true self?

Even after 4000 years Yao still found himself making mistakes. If he had learned anything, it was that mistakes were inevitable even if you were one of the oldest living beings on the Earth. The Earth didn't play favorites, and dished out cruelty to even those who didn't deserve it.

The intensity of the dangerous path he was walking with Ivan should worry him. Ivan's every glance, his every touch, conveyed his love. Shouldn't that love scare him?

Yet all Yao could feel was comfort. They were two broken souls that managed to patch the other up. Only with Ivan could he truly feel alive. There were so many layers to Ivan that the rest of the world had never seen. Hiding behind the childish innocence that covered the broken childhood. Yao had gotten so close to Ivan and yet now he felt so far. If things continued the way they were he was sure they would both break.

Gathering his resolve, Yao eyes blazed with determination as he got out of bed. Walking to his desk, when suddenly…the ground was tilting. Steadying himself, Yao shook his head to clear the black fog that covered his vision for a split second. Reaching for the phone, his vision blurred again and he swayed slightly. Yao rapidly blinked in an attempt to clear his vision when, suddenly, he felt darkness closing in.


	4. Phone Call

AN: What's this? An update? XD All joking aside, you can't believe the ammount of guilt that consumed me for taking so long with this chapter... But do not despair! All fics I post will be finished eventually. (Hopefully the wait won't be as long)

I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this story and review, fav, etc. A gigantic thank you to all those who have also read/reviewed my oneshots. I totally love every single one of you. I wish I knew how to thank you guys, but I'm totally drawing a blank.

**Thanks: Lochesh, My Precious Laith, Lll, Wang Yao, ****lady-ribbon, tabby-chan, Angelica Slovoski, Tallisa of Swallow's Crest, Doitsu, Kazemizu, yukidaru, kwaii-Chan-chan, , Kami011, Idiotichobo, Inner-Hinata, ruby, DeadDolls, and LolliDictator for reviewing chapter 3! Why are you guys so awesome? XD**

**The extended (it's over 9000!) thanks to: Lochesh, lady-ribbon, Idiotichobo, kwaiiChan-chan, and Doitsu for reviewing all 3 chapters~ . *is feeling all sappy***

To fans of FMA! If you're into RoyxEd, Doitsu has a new story called 'Dreams on Fire'. Check it out and review~!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia

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**Every Sigh Holds Thoughts of You**

**Chapter Four**

How long had be been staring at the ceiling?

Ivan's eyes stared at nothing, looking up towards the ceiling, but not focusing on it. He allowed his vision to grow blurry as he continued to lean against the wall, sitting on the cold floor. His whole body was overwhelmed with numbness, slack with no motivation to move. A cold wind possessed his body and soul. Even the artificial warmth produced by vodka was unable to warm him. His being had not felt warm since before his argument with Yao, when he still hoped that there was some possibility it was all a misunderstanding.

Deep within, Ivan could feel a piece of himself urging himself urging him to talk to Yao, to change the situation, demand an explanation, but he could not find it in him to go beyond thinking, to act.

The nights were filled with dreamless sleep, more of a shutting down of the body than any actual rest, awaking with no intentions to fulfill. Only leaving his room to perform his duties as a nation, the rest of his time was consumed with sinking to his floor in a haze, never moving from that one spot.

Why? His eyes were dry, but his broken heat was crying out in pain. The weariness never lifted. It was like the whole world was laughing at him.

He felt so

Empty.

Hesitantly, Ivan reached toward his chest to feel if his heart was still beating. It was the only measurement of time he had nowadays. Thinking back several days, Ivan could still remember Yao's guarded eyes as he denied his accusations. Turmoil and apprehension under his amber eyes, Yao was still trying to talk when Alfred dragged him away.

What had he been trying to say?

Ivan hadn't heard a word from Yao since. He believed that if Yao truly cared, he would have visited or called by now. Instead, his house remained silent, no sign or evidence that the Chinese nation would ever be appearing. But he supposed that that was what love was, leaving yourself vulnerable, giving another your heart. You had to risk them crushing you. He wanted complete silence, to be left alone with his broken heartbeats. Ivan closed his eyes, blocking out his surroundings.

* * *

_Ring!_

The annoying sound of his telephone cut through the air, causing Ivan to flinch at the noise.

_Ring!_

The shrill sound was grating on Ivan's nerves, he willed it to stop.

_Ring!_

But- Ivan's eyes opened in realization.

_Ring!_

It could be—

_Ring!_

Yao!

Ivan rushed towards the phone, scrambling to pick up the phone's handle before the ringing ceased. His heart thrumming against his chest, beats echoing in his ears, Ivan's face was alight with anticipation. He quickly spoke into the phone, voice unable to contain his excitement.

"Yao! I knew you would call!"

He silently waited for a reply. A muffled cough could be heard from the other end of the phone. A slightly hesitant voice was obviously caught off guard for being mistaken for his brother.

"Ano, Russia-san. This is Japan."

Ivan's face visibly wilted; disappointed that it was not Yao's voice on the phone. He wondered why Japan would call his house. They weren't exactly on good terms, and hardly talked to one another.

"Ah…Japan…"

Ivan's voice trailed off, signaling to Kiku that he was not going to say anymore. Getting straight to the point, Kiku informed Ivan of the reason for his call.

"Yao is in the hospital."

Kiku sounded even more apathetic on the phone, voice neutral and precise. Inside, Ivan could feel dread welling up inside himself, but he couldn't betray any of his feeling over the phone, and maintained his usual cheerful voice. He needed to pretend like nothing was wrong. Cheerful, but still inquisitive.

"I've never heard of Yao getting sick."

Maybe this was all just a trick, Ivan mused.

"He's immortal, not immune to all disease. He simply collapsed due to fatigue. Are you going to visit him or not?"

Ivan blinked owlishly and he listened to Kiku's words. That was the most he'd ever heard the small Japanese man say in one go. A little dumbfounded by Kiku's sudden talkativeness, Ivan remained silent, still questioning why Yao suddenly fell ill.

"I've e-mailed you the address and room number of where Yao is staying, do as you wish."

_Click._

Japan hung up the phone. Ivan, seeing that the conversation was over, slowly returned the phone to it's original position, and tried to sort through his confused thoughts.

* * *

He didn't want to look _too_ worried, as he wandered the halls of the hospital. They were still fighting, were they not? Their meeting would be very awkward. What was he supposed to say to Yao? It was him that broke his heart, leaving without one word of explanation. But thinking back on Japan's words, Yao collapsed due to fatigue. What exactly had caused Yao to get so tired? What if he had tried to visit? To call? Ivan shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Too many conflicting thoughts would only give him a headache.

Finding the wing that Yao was residing, Ivan counted down the room numbers until he reached Yao's door. He was just about to enter when he heard a painfully familiar voice on the other side.

Cheerful and overconfident.

Alfred.

* * *

USxUK in the next chapter! Still fighting with myself on how far to take the smut... (USxUk and Rochu...)

Please R&R!


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